River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-04-21

81 do not tolerate opposition, even from
those | love"
sand Won would do worse than kill those
YOU love-" said with anger and scorn.
isYou wou d horribly iniure the helpless and
innocent to strike at those you love. God
ave me from love such as YOURS u
She turned pale, and bent hebhead mo
ment. When she looked at me again the
soft light had not returned 10 her eyes,
though she still smiled.
You have not dealt kindly with me,
she said in subdued voice.
As she spoke she drew a step nearer 20
me. With any other woman that step
would have beer the prelude TO an impas-
stoned ontburst: the sudden motion of the
arms concealed beneath her long cloak
would have heralded one Of those terrible
appeals where pride goes down before de-
spaiT, ana despair is graced with more than
all the majesty of prIdA. With che B2sfiisk
il was not so. The sudden action contra
dicted the sad softness Of the voice, and l
oOked for the CLEAN 81 a concealed dag
ger, or the flash of hidden revolver. She
checked her impulse, however, whatever IL
might have been, and went on IN Der low
meiodious voice:
at was an unhappy day for me when
saw you first 1t was an unhappy day tor
you when you saw me frs II was long
ago. You loved me then without knowing
why. That lOve-a boys tempestuOus folly
cost you your sight. Then il so fell out
that our positions were reversed. Had YOU
remained in darkness y u might have been
the means Of changing all my life. But you
saw-too much. and you loved anOthcr!h
ibid she not need love moreN
what has that 20 do with met You hate
me for pursuing my end IN my own way
\ on should respect me rather You made
your choice. / do not think II was wise
one.n
why bring up the past again. Miss Bean
foyi' said. 1t is NOT long past, but IL IS
dead, and well that it is dead II vas
past OF misery, Of horror, Of cruelty, Of
crlme.n
1T is over for you, hut it is not over for
me- she said. -'We shall not meet again.
But came to ask favour Of you after
all"
was touched-who could fail 70 be7-by
the humility Of this glorious criminal, and
promised to fulfil her request il / could.
You 60 away tO-nlghJiN
'.Yesn
81 should ike to see Mary before you go"
] felt a chill Of dread as she asked this.
Il do not think that is possible. Mary has
gone through so much the sight of YOU
might have an injurious effect upon her"
j spoke firmly, but as kind as l could.
do not be afraid, she said with little
scorli; lit Is not quite a selfish desire. l
woulu make some amends 20 Mary for the
past, and there ara some things III relation
10 her property which 10 would be TO her ad-
yautage-apd 20 YOURS she added gravely
'-that she should learn "
"Can YOU not tell meH' | asked.
''Aua yet You refuse my simple request!
| DO not be Unreasonable. / viii tell Nary
I herself, or no one. y
elm my preseuces'
''Certainly. 1t must lie in your pres
/ enco "
IL would save lot Of possible trouble II
we could get some light voluntarily thrown
upon the state of Nary property, and re-
/ iecJed that there was really no reason for
/ refusing this last request / rang. and sent
/ a message asking Mary 70 come 10 US.
Mss BeautOy remained standing. q tail,
I dark figure, unreheyed even by the white
/ ness Of her hands, for she kept them folded
I beneath her cloak. The clear twilight had
given place TO night, and the glow OF the fre
/ gave only partial and battling light. The
/ influence Of the mysterious figure oppressed
me. and l lat the candles, disclosing the
/ splendid ewes and the pale perfect face more
1 clearly. We spoke no further word.
/ soon the door opened, and like fresh
I spring air Mary FortescUe brought the at
mOsphere of innocence and love into the
4 darkiug room.
! She shrunk rather from her kinswolnan.
/ hut overcome the instinct and advanced to
/ her, trembling a little, hut bravely eyeing
/ her in the strength OF her recovered free
| dom.
| sMary." began Miss Beaufoy.'' I have
! come to make matters more equal between
us"
1T doesn't natter said Mary; nothing
/ matters now. The past is pasJ, and the fu-
/ ture is all bright
The Basilisk smiled a very tl'reatning
/ smile.
| Il have come to make some ameLds,y she
4 said, and then and there she entered into a
/ statement, clear and concise of some de-
/ tails of MaTy's position and property
/ The information would be most useful,
| and was at loss 10 account for her gen
| oroslty. Perhaps 1t was unfair TO seek a
/ motive. A generous impulse was not for
| eign 70 such nature as hers. especially
/ when she could serve no purpose to her own
/ advantage by keeping the knowledge to
/ herself.
And now I suppose you mean TO marry
and live happy ever afterf' she said.
/ 81 trust So ] answered. las soon as | C an
( set my own affairs Iu order"
/ 4 glance of white, furious anger shot from
/ the Basiiisk at her cousin, but it passed in a
/ moment.
/ And now. nv dear Marv,u she said
I 'can / do anything more for yOu"
mo, nothing said Mary, who he'd got
/ over her terror. ami WAS as cold and haugh-
] ~ as ever Giulia Beaufoy had been
''Do you not even wish for some revenge4h
J sneered the BasiiiSk
I Revenge! I do not think Of it. l wish
! harm to none of you. All wish is never to
/ see you againl'
/ TIE Basilisk had drawn close TO her.
/ Very we'll, she said in a low, choked
I voice, every wei.
You shall have your wish-you shall
/ never see US again"
A quick motion Of the hidden hand, the
CLEAN of q snow-white arm With cry Of
horror | rushed forward and Sc Zed the up
raised hand by the wrist A splash Of
liquid fire upon my hand, an awful cry, and
Glulla BeaufOy was writing IN agony
upon the floor. The vitriol, which she had
designed for Mary, had fallen upon her
self Blasted by her own awful device. her
beauty was married in its prime, and, by a
swift and terrible jUigme MT, perpetual
darkness yelled the once beautiful eyes Of
the Basilisk.
OF Plowitz heard no more. Mr. Beau
toys trial caused an immense sensation.
sis death at Portland shortly after MS ar
rival there passed almost unnouced. though
there were circumstances of cunning and
determination about the means he used to
con pass it, which viii probably reward the
researches of some future storv-teller
The memory of those terrible DAYS is still
too recent to enable Mary 70 talk much over
the suyet, though,iu the sunshine OF a hap
py home, she has lost already the shadow Of
the unhappy years.
Last August we were staying in a lively
little French watering Place, but little fire.
quented by English people ] was smoking
a cigar on the sands at sunset, when my
ear was taken Toy a voice of wonderful
power and sweetness. II filed me with a
strange feeling of familiarity. ] Joined the
large crowd which was listening IN rapt at
tentiOn 70 the music
] enquired of a gentleman, whose ac-
qualntauce l had made at the table d'hote,
il he knew anything Of the singer
He informed me hat sine was a woman
who was quite blind-who had lost her
sight, it was said, at the hands Of a disap-
pointed rival
"She must have been Jeautful too" he
added
"Why does she not get a regular engage
meutf With voice like that sac surely need
not be dependent upon open air singing like
this."
'Ah,'' he said, struggling his shoulders.
Il do not know. Many managers have
tried to get her, but she viii not sing even
in the casinos in the summer. She is mad
they say. She finds her way about and is
always on the move. Some say she is
female Wandering Jew. Depend upon it
she has history"
We made our way through the crowd by
degrees, and found ourselves face 70 face
with the singeT-a tall. gaunt woman, with
masses of dark hair Her eyes were ban
daged, and her face was terribly sacred.
Good GOdp' l exclaimed, horror strick-
en-. put napoleon into her hand and
went away. That was the last | saw tf the
Basilisk.
THE ENp.
en-. scott and the Orderly.
80, EA-s..H.TJ STE ,r.EsIr 10 MO-. a+fTI